
Learning is a lifetime pursuit. So if you are embarking on an educational experience in Brazil, there are some Portuguese classroom phrases you should learn. This way, you will be able to follow your teacher’s instructions, greet your colleagues and make the most of the experience!
Whether you plan to spend a semester abroad or you are going to teach in Brazil, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with some of the specific vocabularies. Once you find the most common Portuguese phrases and words used in the classroom, you can focus on the most important thing: learning!
In this article, we will cover vocabulary for the supplies you will need, classroom items, and subject names. You will also learn sentences and phrases to follow your teacher’s instructions and ask for clarifications. Finally, you’ll see how to explain tardiness and absences, and how to talk about your favorite courses.
Ready to learn Portuguese phrases for the classroom? Let’s get started!

Grab a pen and some paper and get ready to take notes!

- Classroom Greetings
- Teacher Instructions in Portuguese
- Ask Questions in Portuguese
- Explain Absence and Tardiness in Portuguese
- Talking About Your Favorite Subjects in Portuguese
- School Supplies and Classroom Vocabulary in Portuguese
- Continue Learning More Portuguese with PortuguesePod101
1. Classroom Greetings
When you arrive at your educational institution or classroom, ready to learn the Portuguese language, the first thing you will have to do is greet people. Whether you’re saying hi to your friends and colleagues or saying good morning to your teacher and professors, there are a few phrases you need to learn.
But first, here is some important context and vocabulary. In Portuguese, we use the same words for teacher and professor: professor (male) and professora (female). When addressing a teacher or professor, you can use the word professor(a) by itself or include the professor’s name afterward. In Brazil, we usually use the professor’s first name.
You should know that, in general, the relationship between professors and students in Brazil tends to be more informal than in other countries. So don’t be surprised if you hear people calling professors directly by their name or using você (“you”). A more polite way to address teachers and professors is to use the form o senhor (“the sir”) or a senhora (“the madam”).
Now, let’s see how to greet people in the classroom.
- Bom dia, professor. (“Good morning, teacher.”)
- Oi professor, tudo bem? (“Hi teacher, how are you?”)
- Boa tarde, turma. (“Good afternoon, class.”)
- Estão dispensados. Tenham um bom fim de semana. (“You are dismissed. Have a good weekend.”)
- Até amanhã. (“See you tomorrow.”)
- Até semana que vem. (“See you next week.”)
- ➜ Learn how to say the five most common phrases used in a Classroom with this audio lesson on PortuguesePod101.
2. Teacher Instructions in Portuguese
Class just began. You are listening attentively to your teacher, but suddenly they ask you a question. You better know what they are saying to avoid any confused stares. Who knows, you might even be able to help your colleagues if they are having trouble understanding!
Or perhaps, you are planning to teach in Brazil for some time. In this case, here are some must-know classroom phrases for teachers in basic Portuguese:
- Silêncio, por favor. (“Silence, please.”)
- Sentem-se, por favor. (“Sit down, please.”)
- Os alunos lá atrás conseguem me ouvir? (“Can the students in the back hear me?”)
- Isto é importante, então prestem atenção. (“This is important, so pay attention.”)
- Hoje vamos estudar tempos verbais. (“Today we are going to study verb tenses.”)
- Abram o livro na página 394. (“Open the book on page 394.”)
- Peguem seus cadernos. (“Get your notebooks.”)
- Alguém sabe me dizer porque esta resposta está errada? (“Can anyone tell me why this answer is wrong?”)
- O que isso quer dizer? (“What does that mean?”)
- Quem sabe responder esta questão? (“Who can answer this question?”)
- Repitam comigo. (“Say it with me.”)
- Escrevam, por favor. (“Write it down, please.”)
- Alguma dúvida? Está claro? (“Any questions? Is it clear?”)
- Para este exercício, podem trabalhar em pares ou grupos de três estudantes. (“For this exercise, you can work in pairs or groups of three students.”)
- Formem grupos de cinco pessoas. (“Form groups of five people.”)

Quem sabe responder esta pergunta? (“Who knows how to answer this question?”)
3. Ask Questions in Portuguese
It’s absolutely normal that, when following a class, some things are not immediately clear. You may not understand something the professor said, or maybe you are confused about some of the course material. Either way, knowing how to ask questions and clarifications is an important step for a better Portuguese language learning experience.
- O que o professor disse? (“What did the teacher say?”)
- Desculpe, não entendi. Pode repetir? (“Sorry, I do not understand. Can you repeat it?”)
- Pode explicar mais uma vez? (“Can you explain it one more time?”)
- Pode falar um pouco mais devagar, por favor? (“Can you speak a little slower, please?”)
- O que significa isso? (“What does that mean?”)
- Como posso dizer isto em português? (“How can I say this in Portuguese?”)
- Eu tenho uma dúvida: como posso…? (“I have a question: how can I…?”)
- Eu não sei como dizer isto. (“I don’t know how to say this.”)
- Com licença, professor. Posso ir ao banheiro? (“Excuse me, teacher. Can I go to the bathroom?”)
4. Explain Absence and Tardiness in Portuguese
Let’s face it. Stuff happens – maybe you weren’t able to finish an assignment by the deadline. Or maybe you went out with friends and missed your alarm clock in the morning. It’s a good idea to know how to apologize… or make up excuses.
The infamous phrase “My dog ate my homework” can be translated to Portuguese as Meu cachorro comeu meu dever de casa. Everyone will know what it means if you say it, even though it is originally an anglophone sentence.
Need a more believable excuse for being late? Public transportation can be quite flaky in Brazil. Say your bus was late, and you might successfully explain your tardiness without problems.
Here are possible ways to justify absence or delay.
- Desculpa, professor, mas eu não consegui terminar o trabalho. (“Sorry, professor, but I couldn’t finish the assignment.”)
- Eu não fiz o dever de casa. (“I did not do my homework.”)
- Eu não consegui terminar a lição de casa. (“I did not do my homework.”)
- Desculpe o atraso, o ônibus atrasou. (“Sorry for the delay, the bus was late.”)
- Eu estou um pouco mal, não vou para a aula hoje. (“I’m a little sick, I’m not going to class today.”)
- Não me sinto muito bem. Posso ser dispensado hoje? (“I don’t feel well. Can I be excused for the day?”)
- Estou doente, então vou faltar à escola hoje. Mas eu tenho um atestado médico. (“I’m sick, so I’m going to miss school today. But I have a doctor’s sick note.”)
/! There are two ways of saying homework in Portuguese: lição de casa or dever de casa. It’s common to only say lição or dever, though. |
- ➜ If you need a refresher lesson on Apologies in Portuguese, PortuguesePod101 is here to help!

Public transportation will never be this empty in Brazil. But you may still have a chance to read!
5. Talking About Your Favorite Subjects in Portuguese
We hope you enjoy some of the courses and subjects you study. That’s the key to enjoy studying!
The first step to talking about the subjects you enjoy – and the ones you don’t enjoy as much – is to know their names in Portuguese.
Portuguese | English |
Inglês | English |
Português | Portuguese |
Espanhol | Spanish |
Literatura | Literature |
Matemática | Mathematics |
Física | Physics |
Química | Chemistry |
Biologia | Biology |
Geografia | Geography |
História | History |
Artes | Arts |
Filosofia | Philosophy |
Economia | Economy |
Sociologia | Sociology |
Psicologia | Psychology |
Administração | Business Administration |
Informática | Computing, IT |
Música | Music |
Educação Física | Physical Education (PE) |
And here are some basic Portuguese phrases and conversations discussing subjects:
- O professor de Matemática está atrasado. (“The Mathematics teacher is late.”)
- Estou indo para a aula de Espanhol. (“I’m going to Spanish class.”)
- Qual é a sua matéria preferida? (“What is your favorite subject?”)
- Minha matéria favorita é Filosofia. (“My favorite subject is Philosophy.”)
- Eu tenho boas notas em Inglês. (“I have good grades in English.”)
- Eu sou péssimo(a) em Física. (“I’m very bad at Physics.”)
- Tenho que revisar a matéria da aula de História. (“I have to review the material for History class.”)
- Você precisa de ajuda para estudar? Eu sou boa em História. (“Do you need help studying? I’m good at History.”)
- Ah sim, por favor. E eu posso te ajudar com Inglês, se você quiser. (“Oh yes, please. And I can help you with English if you want.”)
- Amanhã é a prova de Química. (“The Chemistry test is tomorrow.”)

You better like biology if you want to be a doctor.
6. School Supplies and Classroom Vocabulary in Portuguese
You know that moment when you are sitting at your desk, watching the professor write on the black board, you pull up your notebook from your backpack… And then you see that you forgot your pencil case. Now you need to ask your colleagues for a pen.
All of those Portuguese words in the sentence above are important classroom vocabulary to know. After that, you can borrow and lend things to your colleagues, point out items in the classroom and more.
Let’s start with a list of supplies:
Portuguese | English |
Uma mochila | A backpack |
Um estojo | A pencil case |
Um lápis | A pencil |
Uma lapiseira | A mechanical pencil |
Uma caneta | A pen |
Uma borracha | An eraser |
Um apontador | A sharpener |
Um marca-texto | A highlighter |
Um marcador | A marker, a sharpie |
Um caderno | A notebook |
Um livro (didático) | A textbook |
Uma calculadora | A calculator |
Uma régua | A ruler |
Um compasso | A compass |
Now, for the classroom vocabulary:
Portuguese | English |
Uma carteira, uma mesa | A desk |
Uma cadeira | A chair |
Um projetor | A projector |
Uma tela | A screen |
Um quadro | A board |
Um quadro-negro | A blackboard |
Um monitor | A (computer) monitor |
Um relógio | A clock |
Um mapa-múndi | A world map |
Finally, here are a few more Portuguese classroom phrases for students:
- Eu esqueci meu livro. Posso sentar com você? (“I forgot my book. Can I sit with you?”)
- Eu perdi meu estojo. Você pode me emprestar um lápis? (“I lost my pencil case. Can you lend me a pencil?”)
- Claro! Mas é bom apontar esse lápis antes de usar. Aqui, pode usar meu apontador. (“Of course! But it ‘s better to sharpen that pencil before using it. Here, you can use my sharpener.”)
- Você tem uma caneta para me emprestar? (“Do you have a pen I can borrow?”)
- Todos trouxeram réguas e calculadoras para a prova? (“Did everyone bring rulers and calculators to the test?”)
- Professor, minha calculadora não está funcionando. Alguém tem uma calculadora extra para emprestar? (“Professor, my calculator is not working. Does anyone have an extra calculator to lend me?”)

O mapa-múndi (“The world map”)
- ➜ Listen to how these Portuguese words are pronounced with the Classroom Vocabulary List, available for free on PortuguesePod101!
7. Continue Learning More Portuguese with PortuguesePod101
With this guide, you are now ready to boost your Portuguese language learning, get into a classroom in Brazil and understand all of the Portuguese classroom words and phrases! Learning can be an exciting journey. And now you’re even more prepared for it. Next step: bonding with colleagues and interacting with professors – in Portuguese of course! Luckily, there are plenty of resources on PortuguesePod101 to help you with that.
What did you think of this guide? Do you feel prepared to follow your teacher’s instructions or ask questions to your colleagues? Let us know in the comments below.
Now, continue learning Portuguese with the hundreds of free Portuguese resources and the many vocabulary lists available on PortuguesePod101.com. Go ahead and choose your favorite tools to expand your learning opportunities.
If you want to take your learning experience further, members of PortuguesePod101.com get access to the largest language lesson library in the world, with thousands of real lessons by real teachers. With Premium PLUS, you will have your own personalized learning program, with weekly assignments, based on your needs! Perfect for anyone who wants to learn from anywhere, feel motivated, and be ready to speak Portuguese with confidence. And in the meantime, continue exploring PortuguesePod101!

Top Portuguese Phrases You’ll Use in a Restaurant

Like many other places, food is an important part of Brazilian culture. So if you are planning on going to Brazil at any time, odds are you are going to eat out at a restaurant. If this makes you feel a bit anxious and nervous about how to communicate correctly, don’t worry! This article will teach you everything you need to know to speak Portuguese in restaurants, from basic phrases all the way to how you can order your food in Portuguese.
Of course, the experience of going to a restaurant includes many other aspects, like making a reservation via telephone and leaving tips. We will include some relevant information so you will know what to do!
With sample dialogues and a list of phrases for each step of the restaurant experience in Portuguese, you will learn everything you need to enjoy the moment to the max – without worrying about what to say.

Esta é a nossa melhor mesa. (“This is our best table.”)

- Before Dining Out
- During Dining
- After Dining
- Continue Learning More Portuguese with PortuguesePod101
1. Before Dining Out
A- Booking a Table
Most restaurants in Brazil don’t require a reservation unless you have a big party of people. More often than not, you can simply arrive and find a table. It might also be the case that, if the restaurant is full, they will ask you to wait for a few minutes.
However, if you are going to a particularly popular or fancy restaurant, then a reservation might be needed. The easiest way to check is to visit their website or social media accounts. Then, you can either make a reservation online or give them a call. A reservation for dinner can sometimes be made on the same day, but it all depends on the popularity of the establishment.
B- What Do I Say?
Let’s take a look at some essential vocabulary first.
Portuguese | English |
Reservar | To book |
Uma reserva | A reservation |
Uma mesa | A table |
Um jantar | A dinner |
Um almoço | A lunch |
Um horário | An hour, a time |
Não fumante | Non-smoking |
Here are some sentences you can use:
- Vocês tem disponibilidade para hoje à noite? (“Do you have availability for tonight?”)
- É possível reservar uma mesa para amanhã? (“Is it possible to book a table for tomorrow?”)
- Quanto tempo é preciso esperar? (“How long do I have to wait?”)
And the restaurant employee might answer with:
- Sim, temos disponibilidade. (“Yes, we have availability/places.”)
- Está reservado. (“It’s booked.”)
- Infelizmente não temos mais mesas para essa data. (“Unfortunately, we don’t have any tables for that date.”)
If you feel comfortable enough, you can put all the necessary information in one single phrase. This way, there will be less back and forth between you and the restaurant.
- Gostaria de reservar uma mesa para amanhã, às 13h, para cinco pessoas. (“I would like to reserve a table for tomorrow at 1 pm for five people.”)
This is an example of how the call to make a reservation can go. As in the phrases above, green indicates the client, and red indicates the restaurant.
Restaurante A Flor da Lapa, bom dia. (“A Flor da Lapa restaurante, good morning.”) Olá, bom dia. Eu gostaria de reservar uma mesa para hoje à noite. (“Good morning. I’d like to reserve a table for tonight.”) Claro, para quantas pessoas? (“Of course, for how many people?”) Para quatro pessoas, por favor. (“For four people, please.”) Certo. Temos mesas no lado de dentro e também algumas no exterior, o que prefere? (“Right. We have tables inside and also some outside, what do you prefer?”) Somos fumantes, então do lado de fora é melhor. (“We are smokers, so outside is better.”) Ok. E para que horas é a reserva? (“Ok. And what time is the reservation for?”) Para às 20h. (“At 8 pm.”) Perfeito. Está reservado para hoje à noite, às 20h, uma mesa para quatro pessoas no exterior. (“Perfect. A table for four people, outside, is reserved for tonight at 8 pm.”) Ótimo, muito obrigado(a)! (“Great, thank you very much!”) |
A quick note about smoking: in Brazil, you can’t smoke inside restaurants (or anywhere indoors, in fact). So keep your cigarettes for after your meal!
- ➜ Listen to this vocabulary list on Phrases at the Restaurant, available for free at PortuguesePod101.

It’s a good idea to book a table if there are a lot of people at your party
2. During Dining
A- Arriving at the Restaurant
When you arrive at the restaurant, there are two possibilities: either you already booked a table, or you didn’t.
In the first case, you can say something like:
- Olá, boa noite. Temos uma reserva para quatro pessoas. (“Hello, goodnight. We have a reservation for four people.”)
- Olá, tenho uma reserva no nome de Maria Paula. (“Hello, I have a reservation in the name of Maria Paula.”)
If you don’t have a reservation, you can say:
- Olá. Eu não tenho uma reserva, mas é possível ter uma mesa para dois? (“Hi. I don’t have a reservation, but is it possible to have a table for two?”)
- Oi, gostaria de uma mesa pra quatro, por favor. (“Hi, I’d like a table for four, please.”)
Here is how it can look in a sample dialogue:
Olá, boa noite. Vocês tem uma mesa para três pessoas? (“Hello, goodnight. Do you have a table for three people?”) O senhor tem reserva? (“Do you have a reservation?”) Não, não tenho. (“No, I don’t.”) Se puderem aguardar cerca de 10 minutos, teremos uma mesa livre. (“If you can wait about 10 minutes, we will have a free table.”) Perfeito, vamos aguardar então. (“Perfect, we will wait then.”) |

Uma mesa do lado de fora. (“A table outside.”)
B- Asking for the Menu and Ordering Food
Once you are inside and sitting, you will probably receive the menu. Of course, you can also ask for the menu at the entrance, before sitting down, so you can check if you like their offerings or not.
If you are eating at a self-service restaurant, you probably won’t have a menu – perhaps just a drink menu. A similar thing can happen in all-you-can-eat establishments, called rodízios in Brazil. In this case, you decide if you want a portion of the food as the waiter passes by your table with the food.
Let’s first take a look at important vocabulary:
Portuguese | English |
Um cardápio, um menu | A menu |
Um prato | A dish |
Um prato do dia | A dish of the day, a day’s special |
Uma sobremesa | A dessert |
Uma bebida | A drink |
Um garçom, uma garçonete | A waiter, a waitress |
At this stage, here are the phrases you can use or hear:
- Aqui está o cardápio. (“Here is the menu.”)
- O que deseja? (“What would you like to order?”)
- Com licença, você pode nos trazer o menu? (“Excuse me, can you bring us the menu?”)
- Qual é o prato do dia? (“What’s today’s special?”)
- Qual prato você sugere? (“What dish would you suggest?”)
- Posso ver a carta de bebidas? (“May I see the drinks’ menu?”)
- Vocês têm opções vegetarianas/veganas? (“Do you have vegetarian/vegan options?”)
- Eu tenho alergia a frutos do mar. (“I have a seafood allergy.”)
- O que vem neste prato? (“What’s on this plate?”)
- Você acha que este prato é suficiente para duas pessoas? (“Do you think this dish is enough for two people?”)
- Gostaria da carne ao ponto / mal passada / bem passada. (“I would like the meat medium / rare / well done.”)
The dialogue with the waiter or waitress can go something like this:
Com licença, vocês já sabem o que querem beber? (“Excuse me, do you already know what you want to drink?”) Client 1: Sim, eu quero uma limonada. (“Yes, I want a lemonade.”) Client 2: E eu gostaria de uma garrafa de água, por favor. (“And I’d like a bottle of water, please.”) Client 3: Eu não quero nada por enquanto, obrigada. (“I don’t want anything for now, thank you.”) Perfeito. E para comer, já se decidiram? (“Perfect. And to eat, have you already decided?”) Client 1: Ainda não. Estou em dúvida entre estes dois pratos. O que você recomenda? (“Not yet. I’m torn between these two dishes. What do you recommend?”) Os dois são muito bons, mas para quem gosta de nozes, recomendo este Canelloni al Pesto. (“Both are very good, but for those who like nuts, I recommend this Canelloni al Pesto.”) Client 1: Eu tenho alergia a nozes, então vou querer a quiche. (“I’m allergic to nuts, so I’ll have the quiche.”) |
C- During the Meal
Once you have your meal, the restaurant staff might ask you a few questions:
- Está tudo bem? (“It’s everything going well?”)
- Gostaram do prato? (“Did you like the dish?”)
- Posso retirar os pratos? (“Can I clear the dishes?”)
And here are some things you might ask for or say:
- Pode me trazer um pouco de sal? (“Can you bring me some salt?”)
- Pode trazer mais guardanapos, por favor? (“Can you bring more napkins, please?”)
- Com licença, eu vou querer mais uma água. (“Excuse me, I’ll have another water.”)
- Com licença, minha faca caiu. Pode trazer outra, por favor? (“Excuse me, I dropped my knife. Can you bring another one please?”)
- Estava tudo ótimo! (“Everything was great!”)
- Estava delicioso. (“It was delicious.”)
- As batatas estavam um pouco insossas / sem sal. (“The potatoes were a little bland/unsalted.”)
After you finish eating the main dish, the waiter or waitress may ask if you want anything else:
- Querem algo mais? (“Do you want anything else?”)
- Gostariam de ver o menu de sobremesas? (Would you like to see the dessert menu?)
- Vão querer sobremesas, ou um café? (Will you want desserts or a coffee?)
- ➜ If you want to learn more about Brazilian table manners, check this audio lesson by PortuguesePod101!

It’s impossible not to overeat in a rodízio (“all-you-can-eat”)!
3. After Dining
Now that you are done eating and had your dessert and coffee, time to pay the bill. But before that, you may want to ask to take the leftovers. This is quite common in Brazil, so feel free to ask for a to-go box called quentinha (literally “small hot”) or embalagem para viagem (literally “take out package”).
- É possível colocar isso numa embalagem para viagem? (“Is it possible to put that in a to-go box?”)
- Pode colocar o restante numa quentinha, por favor? (“Can you put the rest in a to-go box, please?”)
When it comes to paying the bill, here are some words that you might come across:
Portuguese | English |
Uma conta | A bill |
Um pagamento | A payment |
Um cartão de crédito | A credit card |
Um cartão de débito | A debit card |
Um recibo | A payment receipt |
Uma gorjeta | A tip |
And here are the phrases you should know:
- A conta, por favor. (“The bill, please.”)
- Pode trazer a conta, por favor? (“Can you bring the bill, please?”)
- Claro, já trago a conta. (“Of course, I’ll bring the bill.”)
- Podem pagar diretamente no balcão. (“You can pay directly at the counter.”)
- O pagamento é junto ou separado? (“Are you paying together or separately?”)
- Vamos separar. (“We’ll split.”)
- Eu pagarei para todos. (“I’ll pay for everyone.”)
- Vocês aceitam cartão (de crédito/de débito)? (“Do you accept (credit/debit) card?”)
- Pode me dar o recibo, por favor? (“Can you give me the receipt, please?”)
A- Should You Pay Tips?
In Brazil, the bill normally comes with the 10% tip added (called gorjeta in Portuguese). Of course, it isn’t mandatory to pay for it, but it is customary. If you are particularly pleased with the service, it’s seen with good eyes to tip a bit more: 15% to 20% of the bill amount. Usually, the tip can be paid separately, in coins or cash, and given directly to the waiter. You can always ask the waiter how you should pay the tip, in case it isn’t clear.
- ➜ You can discover more basic Portuguese phrases for restaurants in this vocabulary list, freely available on PortuguesePod101.

Gorjeta (“tip”)
4. Continue Learning More Portuguese with PortuguesePod101
Now that you learned the Portuguese phrases to use in Brazilian restaurants, hope you are ready to go out and have great meals! There are many different types of restaurants to discover during your time in Brazil, and now you have the tools to make the most of it.
What did you think of the article? Do you think this guide was complete? If we missed any important Portuguese phrases for restaurants, let us know in the comments!
Now, continue learning Portuguese with the hundreds of free Portuguese resources and the many vocabulary lists available on PortuguesePod101.com. Go ahead and choose your favorite tools to expand your learning opportunities.
If you want to take your learning experience further, members of PortuguesePod101.com get access to the largest language lesson library in the world, with thousands of real lessons by real teachers. With Premium PLUS, you will have your own personalized learning program with weekly assignments based on your needs! Perfect for anyone who wants to learn from anywhere, feel motivated, and be ready to speak Portuguese with confidence. And in the meantime, continue exploring PortuguesePod101!

The Best Ways to Improve Your Portuguese Conversation Skills

Why are you learning Portuguese? Odds are, you want to communicate in the language. Although learning the many grammar rules and new vocabulary is important, the ultimate goal is to allow you to understand and be understood when talking in Portuguese. So if you want to convert your hours of language learning into real-life Portuguese conversation skills, you found the right article!
Together, we will cover the must-know sentences to deal with different situations, the best ways to present yourself to get a chat going, and how to improve your Portuguese conversation skills. We will begin by creating your personalized language profile, which will help you feel at ease with ready-to-use phrases and conversation topics.
Of course, just reading about improving your conversation skills won’t do the trick. That’s why the last section of the article covers the best ways to move forward and how to take action.
If you feel ready for amazing conversations in Portuguese with friends, colleagues, and fellow language learners, let’s get started!

Get the conversation going in Portuguese!

- Getting Started With a Conversation Cheat Sheet
- Learn Portuguese Reactions
- Portuguese Filler Words
- Common Questions and Answers in Portuguese
- Portuguese Conversation Starters
- Best Ways to Improve Your Conversation Skills
- Continue Learning More Portuguese with PortuguesePod101
1. Getting Started With a Conversation Cheat Sheet
A conversation cheat sheet, also known as a language profile, is the perfect starting point to improve your conversation skills. It is basically a one-stop-shop for the words, sentences, and conversation starters that you can use when speaking Portuguese. But it isn’t a general list. On the contrary: it is a personal, tailored-for-you cheat sheet with phrases you would use in real life to talk about yourself, your interests, and your routine.
1 – Why Should You Have a Conversation Cheat Sheet
The main advantage of having a language profile is that you will have talking points ready to go whenever you start a conversation in Portuguese.
That’s why it is important that the phrases in your conversation are not cookie-cutter sentences but rather relevant to you. When you are presenting yourself or starting to talk with someone new, you’ll be able to rely on words and sentences you are comfortable with. Most importantly, it will give you ideas and help you overcome fears of speaking Portuguese when still learning.
Keep in mind that you don’t always have to use the language profile in its entirety, like a rehearsed introduction. But you will be ready to answer questions about yourself, your life and hobbies, and your family. From there, you can ask some related questions to the other person and get the ball rolling.
2 – How to Make Your Conversation Cheat Sheet
Let’s start writing a simple introduction: your name, your age, and where you are from. From here, everything depends on your personality and tastes. For example, are you studying at the moment? Maybe you’d like to talk about student life. Or if you have children, that might be something you’d mention.
It can be helpful to think of some of the situations you may find yourself in: meeting a co-worker, going on a first date, or getting introduced to your partner’s family. You can also consider these questions:
- Why are you learning Portuguese?
- What interests or hobbies do you pursue in your free time?
- What do you spend most of your time doing?
- Where did you live in the past 5 years?
Based on these questions, you can create sentences that tell a bit more about yourself. For example:
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3 – Examples of Conversation Cheat Sheets
Now it’s time to put it all together. Your language profile for some informal self-introductions can look something like this:
Oi! Eu sou a Maria. Eu sou francesa, mas me mudei para o Brasil no ano passado. Eu tenho 28 anos, e estou fazendo o meu PhD no Rio de Janeiro. Já passeei bastante pela cidade, mas agora quero conhecer outros lugares no país. Amo viajar e conhecer pessoas novas. Também gosto de praticar português! |
“Hi! I am Maria. I’m French, but I moved to Brazil last year. I’m 28 years old, and I’m doing my Ph.D. in Rio de Janeiro. I’ve been around the city a lot, but now I want to know other places in the country. I love traveling and meeting new people. I also like to practice Portuguese!” |
Olá, prazer em te conhecer. Meu nome é Marc e tenho 40 anos. Eu venho da Austrália, e estou viajando pela América do Sul. Já estou estudando português há dois anos, desde que conheci minha namorada. Temos um cachorro e um gato, mas eles ficaram em casa enquanto viajamos. Quando não estou no escritório, onde trabalho em Marketing, gosto de escutar música latina e de surfar. |
“Hi, nice to meet you. My name is Marc, and I am 40 years old. I come from Australia, and I’m traveling around South America. I’ve been studying Portuguese for two years now, since I met my girlfriend. We have a dog and a cat, but they stayed at home while we traveled. When I’m not at the office, where I work in Marketing, I like listening to Latin music and surfing.” |
Oi, tudo bem? Eu sou a Alice. Sou professora de inglês e trabalho online. Em alguns anos eu vou me aposentar, e então quero viajar pelo Brasil e Portugal. Por isso, comecei a estudar português no meu tempo livre. Além disso, gosto de visitar meus filhos e meus netos, fazer caminhadas no parque e assistir filmes estrangeiros. Também gosto de ler biografias e livros de ficção histórica. |
“Hi, how are you? I’m Alice. I’m an English teacher and I work online. In a few years I’m going to retire, and then I want to travel around Brazil and Portugal. That’s why I started studying Portuguese in my spare time. Also, I enjoy visiting my children and grandchildren, taking walks in the park, and watching foreign movies. I also enjoy reading biographies and historical fiction books.” |
And here is an extra example for more formal situations:
Olá, como vai? Prazer em conhecê-lo/conhecê-la. Meu nome é Andrew. Acabo de chegar no Brasil por motivos de trabalho. Ainda não conheço bem a cidade, então adoraria receber algumas dicas de locais para visitar. Quando não estou no escritório, gosto de ler, pintar e ir à praia. E é claro, estou sempre buscando formas de melhorar o meu português. |
“Hello, how are you? Nice to meet you (masculine ad feminine forms). My name is Andrew. I just arrived in Brazil for work reasons. I still don’t know the city well, so I’d love to get some tips on places to visit. When I’m not at the office, I like to read, paint and go to the beach. And, of course, I am always looking for ways to improve my Portuguese.” |
- ➜ Need some help with introducing yourself in Portuguese? Learn about it with this video lesson on Self-Introductions, available on PortuguesePod101.

With your own language profile, you will feel more confident!
2. Learn Portuguese Reactions
Reaction words and phrases are important to create a dynamic conversation and show the other person you care about what they say. Use the right ones at the right times, and be seen as a great listener!
That’s Exciting!
Q: Vou passar as férias no Rio de Janeiro. (“I’m going to spend my vacation in Rio de Janeiro.”) A: Legal, aproveite muito! (“Cool, enjoy it a lot!”) A: Que demais! Você vai gostar, tenho certeza. (“How awesome! You’ll like it, I’m sure.”) |
Disbelief and surprise
Q: Ele perdeu a carteira ontem. (“He lost his wallet yesterday.”) A: Sério? Que dor de cabeça! (“Seriously? What a headache!”) A: Meu Deus, outra vez? Não pode ser! (“My God, again? It can’t be!”) A: É mesmo? E agora, o que ele vai fazer? (“Really? And what is he going to do now?”) |
Bad news
Q: Não fui bem na prova. (“I didn’t do well in the exam.”) A: Poxa, sinto muito. (“Oh no, I’m sorry.”) A: Ah, que pena! Como você está se sentindo? (“Oh, what a pity! How are you feeling?”) |
Poxa is a common interjection for disappointment or surprise.
Annoyance
Q: O carro está na oficina mais uma vez. (“The car is in the shop once more.”) A: Que droga, não vamos poder passear hoje então. (“Shoot, we’re not going to be able to walk today then.”) A: Que saco, esse carro sempre tem algum problema. (“Darn it, this car always has a problem.”) |
- ➜ There are many other reaction words and expressions you can use in Portuguese. Check out this blog article on Intermediate Portuguese Phrases for much more!

Que droga! (“Shoot!”)
3. Portuguese Filler Words
Filler words can help make you sound like a native speaker if used right. They make the speech sound a bit more natural and alive. Another bonus: filler words give you time to think about what to say next, which is always helpful!
Just be careful not to overuse those words. Native speakers sometimes fall into this trap and punctuate every sentence with slang or filler words, which can be unnerving for anyone listening. Try to use it sparsely at first. As you become more used to speaking Portuguese, you will find the right balance for you!
Tipo | English equivalent: “Like” |
Ela quer comprar um vestido, tipo, um vestido chique. (“She wants to buy a dress, like, a fancy dress.”) Tipo… Não sei, as coisas estão estranhas. (“Like… I don’t know, things are weird.”) |
Bom | English equivalent: “Well” |
Bom, nesta história, ninguém é santo. (“Well, in this story, no one is a saint.”) Bom… Podemos sair mais tarde, mas agora não posso. (“Well… We can go out later, but now I can’t.”) |
Então | English equivalent: “So”, “well” |
E então, novidades? (“So, any news?”) Então, eu já tentei falar com ele. (“Well, I already tried talking to him.”) |
Ééé… | English equivalent: “Uh…” |
Ééé… vou tomar um café puro. (“Uh… I’ll have a black coffee.”) Vamos visitar a… ééé… esqueci o nome dela. (“We are going to visit… uh… I forgot her name.”) |
Né | English equivalent: “You know”, “right” |
Não é uma situação fácil, né. (“It’s not an easy situation, right.”) Eu já esperava esta reação, né. (“I already expected this reaction, you know.”) |
- ➜ For many more filler words and sample sentences, read our complete guide on Portuguese Filler words, available for free on PortuguesePod101!

Ééé… não sei. Bom… (“Uh… I don’t know. Well…”)
4. Common Questions and Answers in Portuguese
When meeting new people, you can be sure there will be many questions and answers being exchanged. Even with old friends, questions are the perfect way to keep the conversation interesting. That’s why it is a good idea to be comfortable with common Portuguese questions and different ways to answer them.
In this article, we are focusing on easy-to-use structures and many real-life sentences. But if you need to review the theory behind the phrases presented here, be sure to read our complete guides, which you can find for free on PortuguesePod101. A good starting point is the blog article on Portuguese Questions and Answers.
“What’s your name?”
Q: Qual é o seu nome? (“What’s your name?”) Q: Como você se chama? (“What are you called?”) A: Eu sou a Maria (“I’m Maria.”) A: Eu me chamo Luís. (“I’m called Luís.”) |
“How are you?”
Q: Como você está? (“How are you?”, more formal) Q: Tudo bem? (“All right?”, more casual) A: Estou bem, obrigada. (“I am well, thank you.”, spoken by a female speaker). A: Tudo bem, e você? (“All good, and you?”) |
“Where are you from?”
Q: De onde você é? (“Where are you from?”) Q: Onde você nasceu? (“Where were you born?”) A: Eu sou australiano. (“I’m Australian.”, spoken by a male speaker) A: Eu nasci em Tóquio, no Japão. (“I was born in Tokyo, in Japan.”) |
“How long have you been studying Portuguese?”
Q: Você estuda português há quanto tempo? (“How long have you been studying Portuguese?”) Q: Quando você começou a estudar português? (“When did you start studying Portuguese?”) A: Já faz três anos. (“It’s been three years.”) A: Eu comecei a aprender português em 2019. (“I started learning Portuguese in 2019.”) |
“Why are you learning Portuguese?”
Q: Por que você está aprendendo português? (“Why are you learning Portuguese?”) A: Porque eu acho que é uma língua linda. (“Because I think it’s a beautiful language.”) A: Porque quero morar no Brasil. (“Because I want to live in Brazil.”) |
“What are you doing?”
Q: O que você está fazendo? (“What are you doing?”) Q: Você vai fazer alguma coisa hoje? (“Are you going to do something today?”) A: Agora eu estou trabalhando. (“Now I am working.”) A: Hoje eu vou encontrar alguns amigos. Você quer ir? (“Today I’m going to meet some friends. You want to go?”) |
- ➜ Continue studying common Questions and Answers in Portuguese with this beginner audio lesson on PortuguesePod101.

– O que você vai fazer hoje? (“What are you doing tonight?”)
– Vou no bar com um amigo. (“I’ll go to a bar with a friend.”, informal)
5. Portuguese Conversation Starters
We can also use a little help with getting conversations started with strangers, even in our mother tongues. When learning another language, things become a bit harder, as we try to remember particular words, the right grammar structure, and the correct pronunciation.
But don’t worry! By learning some handy Portuguese conversation starters, you’ll always have something to say. The best part is that you can practice these sentences ahead of time and use them whenever you have the chance. Depending on the situation, you can change these ready-to-use sentences to fit your conversation.
Some examples:
- Você conhece o Marcos? Você conhece a Alice?
“Do you know Marcos?”, masculine name
“Do you know Alice?”, feminine name
- No que você trabalha?
“What do you do for work?” - Hoje é o meu primeiro dia trabalhando aqui. E você, faz quanto tempo que você trabalha aqui?
“This is my first day working here. And you, how long have you been working here?” - De que tipo de música você gosta?
“What type of music do you like?” - Quanto tempo! Como está tudo?
“It’s been so long! How is everything going?”
- Você tem planos para o fim de semana? Vamos fazer alguma coisa!
“Do you have plans for the weekend? Let’s do something!”
- ➜ If you need more Portuguese conversation starters for your first day in a new school or workplace, first dates, reaching out to friends and more, take a look at this complete article on Conversation Starters by PortuguesePod101.
6. Best Ways to Improve Your Conversation Skills
1 – Listen to a lot of Portuguese
Listening is one of the best ways to improve your speaking skills. Use podcasts, TV shows, YouTube, audio and video lessons… whatever you can – and like – do to get exposure. It is important that you like it, as it will make it easier for you to stick with it.
It might help you if you try to listen to the kind of Portuguese you are interested in. If you want to move to Portugal, focus on European Portuguese media. If you love the culture of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, there are many YouTube channels of cariocas (people from Rio).
2 – Go Beyond Listening
While watching or listening to Portuguese content, there are some things you can do to improve your pronunciation and conversation skills. For example, give shadowing a try. Repeat after the native speakers, saying it out loud. You can even record yourself and listen back to see what needs to be improved.
You can also use extensions and plugins to see subtitles when watching videos or change speed. This way, you can see how certain expressions and slang are written and then keep a list you can refer back to.
3 – Be (A Little) Prepared
Do you know that feeling of knowing exactly what you want to say, but the words keep escaping you? It can be so frustrating! When learning a language, this lack of vocabulary can be a major bottleneck. So it is a good idea to improve your vocabulary, either by reading, watching Portuguese media, or using the free PortuguesePod101 vocab lists. And of course, have your language profile and cheat sheets close by to use whenever the situation arises!
4 – Speak Even If Not Ready
It’s very common to feel like you are not ready to speak in Portuguese while still learning. But the truth is, nothing helps you to improve your speaking skills as much as just doing it. So yes, even if it is scary at first, go for it! By engaging in conversation, you’ll learn from your mistakes, become quicker on your feet, and develop more confidence.
If you are living in a place where Portuguese is spoken, perfect. Try to speak the language in the grocery store, the doctor, co-workers… But if you can’t talk with native speakers, fret not! Nowadays, you can pick and choose from a variety of online services to connect with other Portuguese learners or speakers.
When chatting in Portuguese, don’t shy away from feedback. Ask your conversation partner or friend to give you pointers on what to improve. Trust us, it will help a lot, even if it is a bit uncomfortable at first.
Now, if you want to take it to the next level, you can look into learning Portuguese with a private teacher, in person or online. For example, with Premium PLUS on PortuguesePod101, you can have 1-on-1 Interactions with your personal teacher, guidance and ongoing assessment, and your own personalized learning program!

Improve your Portuguese conversation skills and make new friends!
7. Continue Learning More Portuguese with PortuguesePod101
In this guide, we covered many ways to improve your Portuguese Conversation skills. From having a handy Language Profile to help you with self-introductions to the most useful fillers and conversation starters, we hope you are prepared to speak a lot more Portuguese! Whenever you need to get out of a conversation rut, feel free to come back to this article and try out our tips.
What did you think of this guide? Are you feeling inspired to go out and chat with other Portuguese learners? Do you think we missed any useful tips and conversation starters? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
Now, continue learning Portuguese with the hundreds of free Portuguese resources and the many vocabulary lists available on PortuguesePod101.com. Go ahead and choose your favorite tools to expand your learning opportunities.
If you want to take your learning experience further, members of PortuguesePod101.com get access to the largest language lesson library in the world, with thousands of real lessons by real teachers. With Premium PLUS, you will have your own personalized learning program with weekly assignments based on your needs. Perfect for anyone who wants to learn from anywhere, feel motivated, and be ready to speak Portuguese with confidence. And in the meantime, continue exploring PortuguesePod101!

The Top 40 Advanced Portuguese Phrases You Should Know

There comes a point in everyone’s language learning experience where they feel stuck. This plateau is especially common for advanced learners. Figuring out where to go next and which skills to improve is not so easy. And at the same time, there are likely some gaps in your knowledge of Portuguese. Maybe some of the phrases used by native Portuguese speakers still confuse you, or you lack the appropriate expressions for use in work settings.
At this point, focusing on advanced Portuguese phrases will help you bridge the gap! Once you learn these phrases, you will have an array of ready-to-use expressions at your disposal. This will allow for fluent communication, whether you’re writing a cover letter or giving a presentation in Portuguese.
You probably know by now that language, and specifically Portuguese, is not always objective and literal. In many instances, the old adage “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” is very true! With the explanations given in this article, you’ll be able to see and understand how this concept applies to advanced Portuguese phrases.
We’ll end on a fun note by looking at some of the most commonly used idioms in Portuguese. If you translate them word for word, they might not make much sense…but once you understand how they’re used, you’ll be on your way to sounding just like a native speaker!

As an advanced Portuguese speaker, you’ll be getting all the jokes!

- Sound Smart: Academic Writing and Speeches
- Sound Hireable: Resumes and Cover Letters
- Sound Efficient: Business and Meetings
- Sound Like a Native: Idioms and Proverbs
- Continue Studying with PortuguesePod101
1. Sound Smart: Academic Writing and Speeches
If you have been tasked with writing an academic paper or giving a speech, congratulations! That means you are definitely a high-level Portuguese speaker. Still, you might yet lack some advanced Portuguese words and phrases that are essential for structuring your discourse.
The examples below will help you organize and present your arguments, making them all sound coherent.
Inicialmente / A princípio “Initially” / “At first” |
Inicialmente, os dados da pesquisa serão analisados separadamente. “Initially, the survey data will be analyzed separately.” A princípio, o projeto depende da aprovação do Conselho Administrativo. “At first, the project will depend on the approval of the Board of Directors.” |
Pretende-se estabelecer “It is intended to establish” |
Neste estudo, pretende-se estabelecer que o consumo excessivo de açúcar é danoso à saúde. “In this study, it’s intended to establish that the excessive consumption of sugar is damaging to health.” |
Embora / Por outro lado / Apesar de “Although” / “On the other hand” / “Despite” |
Embora amplamente divulgados, os resultados não são claros. “Although widely publicized, the results are not clear.” Por outro lado, os dados coletados são altamente relevantes. “On the other hand, the data collected is highly relevant.” Apesar de todos os esforços, um estudo mais aprofundado é necessário. “Despite all efforts, further study is needed.” |
É importante / É necessário / Convém “It’s important” / “It’s necessary” / “It’s worth” |
É importante ressaltar que estamos longe deste cenário. “It is important to emphasize that we are far from this scenario.” É necessário processar o grande volume de informação de forma automática. “It is necessary to process the large volume of information automatically.” Convém notar que existem formas alternativas de analisar o problema. “It is worth noting that there are alternative ways to analyze the problem.” |
Em termos de “In terms of” |
Em termos de organização, é possível implementar melhorias de baixo custo. “In terms of organization, it is possible to implement low-cost improvements.” |
As evidências sugerem que “The evidence suggests that” |
As evidências sugerem que o aumento da temperatura global tem acelerado. “The evidence suggests that the rise in global temperature has accelerated.” |
Assim / Desta maneira “Thus” / “In this way” |
Assim, podemos esperar que medidas de contenção sejam tomadas. “Thus, we can expect containment measures to be taken.” Desta maneira, garantimos a qualidade do ensino. “In this way, we guarantee the quality of education.” |
Similarmente “Similarly” |
Similarmente, o mesmo se aplica dentro da sala de aula. “Similarly, the same applies within the classroom.” |
De acordo com “According to” |
De acordo com o autor, este procedimento apresenta menor risco. “According to the author, this procedure presents less risk.” |
Respectivamente “Respectively” |
Estes valores correspondem ao grupo A e ao grupo B, respectivamente. “These values correspond to Group A and Group B, respectively.” |
Consequentemente “Therefore” / “Consequently” / “As a result” |
Obtemos um aumento nas vendas de 35% e, consequentemente, podemos continuar a expandir. “We achieved a sales increase of 35% and, consequently, we can continue to expand.” |
Mais além “Beyond” |
Alguns colaboradores vão mais além do que lhes é pedido. “Some contributors go beyond what is asked of them.” |
Até que ponto “How far” / “To what extent” |
Até que ponto o uso de animais para estudos científicos é justificado? “To what extent is the use of animals for scientific studies justified?” |
Por fim / Em conclusão “Finally” / “In conclusion” |
Por fim, buscamos responder a pergunta central deste simpósio. “Finally, we seek to answer the central question of this symposium.” Em conclusão, os resultados indicam um aumento do nível de poluição do rio avaliado. “In conclusion, the results indicate an increase in the pollution level of the assessed river.” |

Writing your next paper in Portuguese will be much easier if you know these phrases.
- ➜ Practice your listening with this advanced lesson on presentations from PortuguesePod101!
2. Sound Hireable: Resumes and Cover Letters
Although writing a resume or cover letter is pretty formulaic, it can be a challenging feat. For one, the phrases are constructed in a more formal way. In addition, knowing specific vocabulary related to your industry is necessary. Finally, there are certain expressions you should be familiar with so that you can leave a good impression and come across as a polite person.
Of course, that’s not to say you can’t make them your own! Especially in creative fields like marketing or graphic design, you have a lot more freedom in how to craft your resume, cover letter, or portfolio. But understanding the advanced Portuguese phrases below will help you get started.
Estou entrando em contato para discutir ___. “I’m contacting you to discuss ___.” |
Tenho interesse em saber mais sobre a oportunidade ___. “I’m interested in learning more about the ___ opportunity.” |
Busco a oportunidade de ___. / Estou em busca de ___. “I am looking for the opportunity to ___.” / “I am looking for ___.” |
Procuro uma nova colocação no mercado ___. “I’m looking for a new placement in the ___ market.” |
Buscando novos desafios na minha carreira em ___ “Seeking new challenges in my career in ___” |
Com vasta experiência profissional na área de ___ “With extensive professional experience in the area of ___” |
Possuo ampla experiência no mercado de ___. “I have extensive experience in the ___ market.” |
Acredito que as minhas experiências poderão contribuir com ___. “I believe that my experiences can contribute to ___.” |
Adoraria ter a oportunidade de conversar mais sobre ___. “I would be delighted to have the opportunity to talk more about ___.” |
Através dos meus estudos em ___, adquiri amplo conhecimento em___. “Through my studies in ___, I have gained broad knowledge in ___.” |
Me coloco à disposição para ___. “I am at your disposal to ___.” |
Aguardo ansiosamente seu contato. “I look forward to hearing from you.” |
- ➜ Refresh your memory and review important terms to use when talking about your career in Portuguese.

Ready to find the job of your dreams? Start with the perfect resume!
3. Sound Efficient: Business and Meetings
Clear communication is an essential part of doing business. While simply speaking Portuguese in meetings will garner recognition and praise from most Brazilians, you can go beyond that and make them focus on what you say instead of how you say it. The key is to be so comfortable with advanced Portuguese that you won’t have to stop and search for words.
If that sounds a bit daunting, don’t worry. Since you’re reading this article, it’s clear that you already have a pretty good handle on the language. Now, you just need to get to know the business lingo so you can go confidently into your next meeting!
Trabalho em equipe “Teamwork” |
Este projeto só foi possível graças ao nosso trabalho em equipe. “This project was only possible thanks to our teamwork.” |
Levar ___ nas costas “Carry ___ on one’s back” / “Carry ___ on one’s shoulders” Literally: “To carry the team on the back” |
Meu departamento levou esta empresa nas costas no primeiro semestre. “My department carried this company on its back in the first semester.” |
Tomar responsabilidade “To take responsibility” |
Uma característica importante de líderes é tomar responsabilidade. “An important characteristic of leaders is taking responsibility.” |
Prazo final / Data de entrega “Deadline” / “Delivery date” |
Lembre-se de que estamos perto do prazo final: a data de entrega é daqui a uma semana. “Remember that we are close to the deadline: the delivery date is a week away.” |
Gestão de processos “Process management” |
A gestão de processos é uma parte essencial da estratégia de empresas de sucesso. “Process management is an essential part of successful businesses’ strategy.” |
Rotina de trabalho “Work routine” |
Ao trabalhar de casa, é importante organizar a rotina de trabalho. “When working from home, it is important to organize your work routine.” |
Pesar os prós e contras “Weigh the pros and cons” |
Precisamos pesar os prós e contras da proposta antes de tomar uma decisão. “We need to weigh the pros and cons of the proposal before making a decision.” |
Cultura organizacional “Organizational culture” |
Os valores da companhia são a base para a cultura organizacional. “The company’s values are the basis for the organizational culture.” |
Missão e visão da empresa “Company’s mission and vision” |
Eu acredito na missão e visão da empresa, por isso amo trabalhar aqui. “I believe in the company’s mission and vision; that’s why I love working here.” |
Vamos prosseguir de acordo com os planos. “We will proceed according to plan.” |
Sinto muito pelo mal-entendido. “Sorry for the misunderstanding.” |
- ➜ Do you need more vocabulary and cultural information for doing business in a Portuguese-speaking country? PortuguesePod101 has a complete guide covering it all!

The meetings will go a lot smoother if you have the right vocabulary!
4. Sound Like a Native: Idioms and Proverbs
The Portuguese language has countless proverbs, sayings, and idioms. In each lusophone country, you will encounter dozens more that are specific to that place. Before you try getting to know all the quirkiest idioms out there, it’s a good idea to zero in on the most used sayings in Portuguese. You’ll definitely encounter those in conversations with native speakers.
They might not make literal sense, but we bet you’ll see the wisdom in them. And even better, you’ll soon add to your daily vocabulary what are arguably the most advanced phrases in Portuguese!
Estar com a faca e o queijo na mão To have all you need to solve a situation Literally: “To be with the knife and cheese in hand” |
Você está com a faca e o queijo na mão, é hora de agir. “You have all you need to solve this; it’s time to act.” |
Fazer uma vaquinha To pool money, as in a crowdfunding Literally: “To make a little cow” |
Vamos fazer uma vaquinha para a festa de formatura. “Let’s pool money for the graduation party.” |
A esta altura do campeonato At this late stageLiterally: “At this point in the championship” |
A esta altura do campeonato, acho que não podemos fazer mais nada. “At this point, I don’t think there is anything else we can do.” |
Comprar gato por lebre To be fooled / To be deceived Literally: “To buy a cat thinking it was a rabbit” |
Quando a encomenda chegou, ele descobriu que tinha comprado gato por lebre! “When the delivery arrived, he found out he had been deceived.” |
Ir para o olho da rua To be fired Literally: “To go to the eye of the street” |
Eu não sei como ele ainda não foi para o olho da rua. “I don’t know how he still hasn’t been fired.” |
Não é a minha praia. It’s not my thing. Literally: “It’s not my beach.” |
Matemática não é a minha praia. “Math is not my thing.” |
Bicho de sete cabeças Something very complicated Literally: “Seven-headed beast” |
Dirigir não é nenhum bicho de sete cabeças. “Driving is not so complicated.” |
The origin of this expression is Hydra, the monster from Greek and Roman mythology. Hydra had many heads, with some versions of the story stating that it had seven. Every time one of the heads was chopped off, the Hydra would grow two in its place. Killing it was extremely complicated: um bicho de sete cabeças. |
A carapuça serviu. To identify with something bad, assuming the guilt Literally: “The hood fits.” |
Ela ficou chateada, mas o que eu posso fazer se a carapuça serviu? “She was upset, but what can I do if she feels guilty?” |
Carapuça is a kind of hood, but the word isn’t really used at all except in this expression. |
Quem vê cara, não vê coração. “To judge a book by its cover” Literally: “Who sees face doesn’t see heart.” |
Ninguém suspeitou dele, realmente quem vê cara não vê coração. “Nobody suspected him, really judging a book by its cover.” |
Falar pelos cotovelos To talk a lot Literally: “Speak through the elbows” |
Você já sabe que a minha mãe fala pelos cotovelos. “You already know my mother talks a lot.” |
Estar com a pulga atrás da orelha To have a suspicion about something Literally: “To have a flea behind your ear” |
Eu bem que estava com a pulga atrás da orelha, parecia bom demais para ser verdade. “I was suspicious about it; it sounded too good to be true.” |
- ➜ Check out this article containing many more popular Portuguese proverbs to find even more quirky sayings. It’s available for free on PortuguesePod101.com!

Me mandaram para o olho da rua. (“They fired me.”)
5. Continue Studying with PortuguesePod101
Are you ready to go out into the world and put these advanced Portuguese phrases to use? We hope you feel confident in your ability to have all kinds of conversations with Portuguese speakers while having a lot of fun along the way. Try to find situations where you can use the phrases and idioms explained in this article, as that will really help fix them in your memory.
Do you think we missed any important advanced conversational phrases in Portuguese? Or is there something that isn’t clear enough? Let us know in the comments! We are always eager to hear from you.
To take your skills to the next level, continue exploring PortuguesePod101.com! We have lots of free Portuguese resources and vocabulary lists for all situations. Go ahead and choose your favorite tools to expand your learning opportunities and continue growing your advanced Portuguese vocabulary.
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Intermediate-level Portuguese Phrases You Should Know

The transition from beginner to intermediate level is one of the hardest things when learning a new language. Maybe you’re already comfortable presenting yourself, asking simple questions, and getting directions in Portuguese. Now it’s time to convey more complex ideas, understand conversations with different tenses, and feel at ease speaking the language. This guide to intermediate Portuguese phrases is the perfect tool for getting beyond the beginner level!
This article includes more than 50 intermediate Portuguese phrases for informal and formal conversations. Learning these phrases will ensure you always have ready-to-go sentences to use in various situations—it will also help you see how to create your own phrases using similar structures. By the time you’re done reading, you’ll be able to reminisce about the past, explain your choices, make recommendations, and more. We’ve even included sample dialogues to make it easy to understand!

Interesting conversations, here we go!

- Talking About the Past: Experiences and Stories
- Talking About the Future: Making Plans
- Giving Explanations and Reasons
- Making Recommendations and Criticisms
- Reacting to Everyday Conversations
- Be Polite: Etiquette Phrases
- Continue Learning Portuguese with PortuguesePod101
1. Talking About the Past: Experiences and Stories
As a beginner, you focused a lot on learning the present tense. It really is a great way to get started because it helps you become familiar with many verbs in their simplest form. But to have better conversations in Portuguese, you’ll need to know how to use the past tense. This way, you’ll be able to tell stories, share past experiences, and talk about what you’ve done and felt before.
The sentences below provide a blueprint to some useful patterns using the past tense. You can always use different nouns and verbs to tell your own anecdotes.
Passei uma noite muito agradável. |
I had a very pleasant evening. |
Literally: I spent a very pleasant night. |
Me diverti muito com você. |
I had a lot of fun with you. |
Ontem eu encontrei uma carteira na rua. |
Yesterday, I found a wallet in the street. |
Aquele foi o pior dia da minha vida. |
That was the worst day of my life. |
Quando eu era criança, eu não tinha medo de altura. |
When I was a kid, I wasn’t afraid of heights. |
Literally: When I was a kid, I didn’t have fear of height. |
Eu já viajei para o Japão. |
I have already traveled to Japan. |
Teve uma vez que eu me perdi na floresta. |
Once, I got lost in the forest. |
Literally: There was one time when I lost myself in the forest. |
No ano passado, comecei a aprender a tocar piano. |
Last year, I started to learn how to play the piano. |
Literally: In the last year, I started to learn to play piano. |
Já faço aulas de dança há seis meses. |
I’ve been taking dance lessons for six months. |
Literally: I already take dance lessons for six months. Notice that the sentence in Portuguese uses the verb in the present tense, since the action began in the past but is still ongoing. |

Um dia, ela entrou na floresta encantada. (“One day, she entered the enchanted forest.”)
- ➜ Do you need a refresher on Portuguese verb conjugations and tenses? Check out this article for a complete guide.
2. Talking About the Future: Making Plans
To make plans, you can either 1) use one of the present tenses with a time-indicating word or 2) use the future tense.
In this section, we have included phrases for both formal and informal scenarios. The vocabulary is slightly different, as is the way the verbs are used. That happens because, when speaking informally in Brazilian Portuguese, the future tense of the auxiliary verb ir (“to go”) is used with the infinitive form of the main verb. In formal situations, it’s more common to use the verb in the future tense.
For example:
- Informal: Você vai viajar amanhã? (“Will you travel tomorrow?”)
- Formal: O senhor viajará amanhã? (“Will you travel tomorrow [sir]?”)
Formal situations
Nós iremos discutir este assunto na reunião desta tarde. |
We will discuss this matter in this afternoon’s meeting. |
É possível agendar uma consulta para semana que vem? |
Is it possible to schedule an appointment for next week? |
Podemos marcar uma reunião por Zoom na próxima semana para discutir os detalhes. |
We can arrange a meeting by Zoom next week to discuss the details. |
Podemos remarcar a apresentação. |
We can reschedule the presentation. |
O que o senhor / a senhora fará neste final de semana? |
What will you do this weekend? |
Literally: What will the sir / the lady do on this weekend? |
Casual situations
O que você vai fazer neste fim de semana? |
What are you going to do this weekend? |
Vamos marcar algo! |
Let’s schedule / arrange something! |
Vamos combinar um jantar? |
Let’s arrange a dinner? |
Nos vemos no sábado? |
See you Saturday? |
Literally: See ourselves on Saturday? |
Você tem tempo para sair hoje? |
Do you have time to go out today? |
Que tal pedir uma pizza esta noite? |
How about ordering a pizza tonight? |
Literally: What about ask a pizza tonight? |
Posso levar meu namorado / minha namorada? |
Can I take my boyfriend / girlfriend? |
Vou deixar para a próxima. |
I’ll leave it for next time. |
Literally: I’ll leave it for the next. |

Vamos celebrar esta tarde!(“We will celebrate this afternoon!”)
- ➜ You can review how auxiliary verbs are used (as well as a hundred useful verbs to spice up your intermediate Portuguese phrases) in this complete guide by PortuguesePod101!
3. Giving Explanations and Reasons
Many times, when telling a story or having a conversation, we need to explain the “why” behind our decisions. You can easily do this—and level up your sentences—by using one of the numerous Portuguese conjunctions available to you!
After all, being able to make our motivations clear is super important in connecting with people. At the same time, learning these intermediate Portuguese phrases and patterns will allow you to understand the reasons and explanations that people give you.
Eu contei a verdade para a professora, porque eu não gosto de mentir. |
I told the truth to the teacher because I don’t like to lie. |
Nós temos que pensar nos prós e contras. |
We have to think about the pros and cons. |
Eu vou esperar pelo outro ônibus, então temos tempo para conversar. |
I will wait for the other bus, so we have time to talk. |
É bom que você não quebre nada, senão terá que pagar. |
You better not break anything; otherwise, you’ll have to pay. |
Literally: It’s good that you don’t break anything; otherwise, you’ll have to pay. |
Eu acho que você tomou a decisão certa, sabe por quê? Porque você seguiu sua intuição. |
I think you made the right decision. Do you know why? Because you followed your intuition. |
Literally: I think you took the right decision. Do you know why? Because you followed your intuition. |
Como você demorou para chegar, já fiz o jantar. |
Since you took so long to arrive, I already made dinner. |
Tome cuidado para não cair. |
Be careful not to fall. |
Literally: Take care not to fall. |
Este filme é o meu preferido! Primeiramente, tem esse ator que é muito bom. Em segundo lugar, a trilha sonora é maravilhosa. E em terceiro lugar, sempre me faz sorrir. |
This movie is my favorite! First, there is this actor who is very good. Second, the soundtrack is wonderful. And third, it always makes me smile. |
In Portuguese, there is a word for “firstly” (primeiramente) but not for “secondly,” “thirdly,” etc. Instead, we use an expression: em segundo lugar (literally “in second place”), em terceiro lugar (literally “in third place”), etc. You can also use the expression for “firstly” (em primeiro lugar). |

Você tem que comer salada para manter sua saúde. (“You have to eat salad to maintain your health.”)
- ➜ There are many conjunctions in Portuguese for expressing causality and adding information. Take a look at this handy guide to conjunctions to learn how to use them and polish your intermediate Portuguese phrases.
4. Making Recommendations and Criticisms
Likes and dislikes are common topics of conversation, especially when you first meet someone. People may want to know your favorite book, color, or local restaurant. Maybe you’ll even want to give recommendations or let people know to steer clear of an establishment.
The following Portuguese phrases for the intermediate level are perfect for these situations. Once again, remember that you can always swap out words when using these sentence patterns in order to make all kinds of recommendations or complaints.
Este é o meu cabeleireiro preferido. |
This is my favorite hairdresser. |
Literally: This is my preferred hairdresser. |
Esta é a minha praça favorita. |
This is my favorite plaza. |
To talk about your preferences, use either the adjective favorito (“favorite”) or preferido (“preferred”). Remember that these adjectives have to agree in gender and number with the noun.
- O meu livro favorito é Harry Potter e o Prisioneiro de Azkaban. (“My favorite book is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.”)
- A minha sorveteria preferida fechou. (“My favorite ice cream shop closed.”)
- As minhas atividades favoritas são correr e cozinhar. (“My favorite activities are running and cooking.”)
Você tem que experimentar / provar isto! É a melhor torta que eu já comi! |
You have to try it! It’s the best pie I’ve ever had! |
Literally: You have to experiment / to taste this! It’s the best pie that I’ve already eaten! You can use these two verbs interchangeably to talk about trying food. |